Bug 508038 - On Wayland, GIMP icon doesn't change when changing theme
Summary: On Wayland, GIMP icon doesn't change when changing theme
Status: RESOLVED DOWNSTREAM
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Task Manager and Icons-Only Task Manager widgets (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.4.4
Platform: Solus Linux
: NOR minor
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords: wayland-only
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-08-09 03:47 UTC by Storm
Modified: 2025-08-26 19:08 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
The Gimp icopn didn't change with the rest of custom icon theme. (545.51 KB, image/png)
2025-08-13 18:44 UTC, Storm
Details
Error when trying to start Gimp pinned. (41.58 KB, image/png)
2025-08-14 15:19 UTC, Storm
Details
Gimp in search shows normal icon (papirus) (1.48 MB, image/png)
2025-08-14 15:31 UTC, Storm
Details
local gimp .desktop (1.05 KB, application/x-desktop)
2025-08-15 18:08 UTC, Storm
Details
system .desktop (16.53 KB, application/x-desktop)
2025-08-15 18:09 UTC, Storm
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Storm 2025-08-09 03:47:54 UTC
***
The icon of Gimp doesn't change if you change icon theme under Wayland session in Icons-Only Task Manager Widgets.



***

SUMMARY


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1.  Go to  System Settings
2.  Change the icon theme

OBSERVED RESULT

The Gimp icon remain the same.

EXPECTED RESULT

To have a custom icon of Gimp.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS

Linux/KDE Plasma:  Solus - Plasma
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.16.0
Qt Version:  6.9.1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2025-08-11 20:02:02 UTC
This means the icon theme you're switching to either doesn't have a custom icon for GIMP, or else it does, but the name of its custom GIMP icon doesn't match the name of the used by GIMP itself. An example of this would be if GIMP is from Flatpak and uses the icon name "org.gimp.GIMP", while the icon theme only has an icon named "gimp".
Comment 2 Storm 2025-08-11 20:47:08 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #1)
> This means the icon theme you're switching to either doesn't have a custom
> icon for GIMP, or else it does, but the name of its custom GIMP icon doesn't
> match the name of the used by GIMP itself. An example of this would be if
> GIMP is from Flatpak and uses the icon name "org.gimp.GIMP", while the icon
> theme only has an icon named "gimp".

No, I have triple checked the name of Gimp icon (I'm an icon maker so I know my stuff around naming), and it only happens in Wayland. In Xorg the icon changes.
Comment 3 Nate Graham 2025-08-12 16:12:52 UTC
Hmm, maybe it's something else, then.

My guess is that on X11, GIMP changes its icon at runtime, while on Wayland it doesn't (there's a protocol for this, but it probably doesn't implement it).

But let's get specific. When you say "The Gimp icon remain the same.", *where* specifically does the icon fail to change? Only the Task Manager, or anywhere else too? Is this with a pinned-but-not-running icon, or the icon for the running app?

Can you do a bit of troubleshooting to see which places are affected?

Thanks!
Comment 4 Storm 2025-08-12 17:06:33 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #3)
> Hmm, maybe it's something else, then.
> 
> My guess is that on X11, GIMP changes its icon at runtime, while on Wayland
> it doesn't (there's a protocol for this, but it probably doesn't implement
> it).
> 
> But let's get specific. When you say "The Gimp icon remain the same.",
> *where* specifically does the icon fail to change? Only the Task Manager, or
> anywhere else too? Is this with a pinned-but-not-running icon, or the icon
> for the running app?
> 
> Can you do a bit of troubleshooting to see which places are affected?
> 
> Thanks!

Hi,

It only fail to change in Task manager under Wayland. In the different menus/launchers it's all good. pinned/unpinned makes no difference.

But I digged it a little more when I realize that I'm running Gimp with "GDK_BACKEND=x11" environment  variables to make Global menu working. So GDK_BACKEND=x11 in Wayland with Gimp trigger this bug.
Comment 5 Nate Graham 2025-08-13 18:35:40 UTC
Can you provide an example of an icon theme that exhibits this problem when GIMP is run with GDK_BACKEND=x11?
Comment 6 Storm 2025-08-13 18:43:01 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #5)
> Can you provide an example of an icon theme that exhibits this problem when
> GIMP is run with GDK_BACKEND=x11?

Papirus is a good example (it's the most comprehensive icon theme out there). I also tried other icon themes including my own.
Comment 7 Storm 2025-08-13 18:44:02 UTC
Created attachment 184039 [details]
The Gimp icopn didn't change with the rest of custom icon theme.
Comment 8 Nate Graham 2025-08-14 15:11:47 UTC
If you quit GIMP, does the icon in the Icons-Only Task Manager change to the expected Papirus icon?
Comment 9 Storm 2025-08-14 15:19:17 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #8)
> If you quit GIMP, does the icon in the Icons-Only Task Manager change to the
> expected Papirus icon?

Nope. If I pinned it and quit it become a blank/empty icon instead. Moreover if I try to start Gimp Pinned to the task manager, Gimp refuses to launch. I'll upload a picture of the error.
Comment 10 Storm 2025-08-14 15:19:47 UTC
Created attachment 184079 [details]
Error when trying to start Gimp pinned.
Comment 11 Nate Graham 2025-08-14 15:24:58 UTC
Ok, so if you un-pin it from the Task Manager and then search for it in Kickoff, what icon does it show there?
Comment 12 Storm 2025-08-14 15:30:45 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #11)
> Ok, so if you un-pin it from the Task Manager and then search for it in
> Kickoff, what icon does it show there?

Then icon is normal. I'll upload a picture of it.
Comment 13 Storm 2025-08-14 15:31:31 UTC
Created attachment 184081 [details]
Gimp in search shows normal icon (papirus)
Comment 14 Nate Graham 2025-08-15 16:54:19 UTC
Thanks. Is there a custom .desktop file for GIMP in ~/.local/share/applications/? If so, can you attach it?

And can you additionally attach the GIMP .desktop file in /usr/share/applications/?
Comment 15 Storm 2025-08-15 18:08:22 UTC
Created attachment 184111 [details]
local gimp .desktop
Comment 16 Storm 2025-08-15 18:09:30 UTC
Created attachment 184112 [details]
system .desktop
Comment 17 Nate Graham 2025-08-18 19:41:50 UTC
And in your custom .desktop file for GIMP, if you change 

Exec=env GDK_BACKEND=x11 gimp-3.0 %U

to

Exec=gimp-3.0 %U

And then restart, is the issue fixed?
Comment 18 Storm 2025-08-20 16:17:47 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #17)
> And in your custom .desktop file for GIMP, if you change 
> 
> Exec=env GDK_BACKEND=x11 gimp-3.0 %U
> 
> to
> 
> Exec=gimp-3.0 %U
> 
> And then restart, is the issue fixed?

Yes, it fix the issue.
Comment 19 Nate Graham 2025-08-26 19:08:35 UTC
Then I'd say it's a "then don't do that" situation. :) The system is working as expected, and you've found an interesting quirk where a manually-applied workaround causes 3rd-party icon theming to behave unexpectedly. This isn't a supported setup, I'm afraid.